FIFA’s Coach Of The Year Award Was Rigged – Mourinho

Real Madrid’s Jose Mourinho has revealed why he did not attend the FIFA Ballon d’Or gala – because he was forewarned by some of those who voted for him as coach of the year that their votes turned up for other candidates instead.

“Am I sorry for not having gone to the gala? No. It was the right decision,” Mourinho told RTP television on Tuesday in excerpts from an interview.

“One, two or three people called me saying they had voted for me but the vote showed up as cast for somebody else. So, I decided not to go,” he said.

Mourinho and former Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola eventually lost out in that category to another worthy recipient – Spain’s Vicente del Bosque at January’s gala.

Mourinho, who is not known for mincing words, would have stirred debates that will cast a huge integrity question mark on the prestigious awards but FIFA is unfazed as the world football governing body said in a statement: “Fifa confirms that the list of votes published on Fifa.com is accurate.”